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Coronavirus: What closes in a local lockdown? Coronavirus: Are more local lockdowns likely in England?
(12 days later)
From Saturday, efforts to contain coronavirus will focus on local lockdowns. Oldham is the latest area of England to introduce new local measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Local authorities in England are being given new powers to stop people gathering, while the government will be able to impose ''stay at home'' orders. The Greater Manchester borough wants to avoid following Leicester, where a rise in cases led to a local lockdown.
What measures are being taken in Oldham?
Residents are being asked not to have social visitors to their homes and to keep two metres apart when outside.
Anyone shielding has been asked to continue to do so until 14 August (elsewhere in England shielding advice is being relaxed from 1 August), and care homes will not relax restrictions.
The restrictions follow a rise in cases in the borough. Data published by Public Health England (PHE) showed 119 cases recorded in the week to 24 July - equivalent to more than 50 per 100,000 population. The week before saw 26 cases recorded.
Oldham follows Rochdale, its neighbouring borough, and Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle in Lancashire, in introducing new restrictions.
What has Leicester's local lockdown involved?
Leicester introduced a strict local lockdown at the beginning of July, because the city's seven-day infection rate had risen to 135 cases per 100,000 people. It has since fallen.
Lockdown measures included:
Residents were told to stay at home as much as they were able. People were also told to avoid non-essential travel to, from, and within Leicester.
People or businesses that repeatedly flout the new law could receive fines of up to £3,200.
The lockdown has since been lifted for some suburbs of Leicester, and the government is due to review the situation by 30 July.
What does a local lockdown look like?What does a local lockdown look like?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said coronavirus can now be controlled "through targeted local action", because more is known about how and where it is spreading. On 17 July the prime minister announced new powers for local authorities and central government to stop specific outbreaks of Covid-19.
Local lockdowns could take place anywhere - from a hospital, factory, school or one business in a building - to a whole city. He said that coronavirus would be controlled "through targeted local action", because more was known about how and where it was spreading.
Local authorities will be given powers to: These actions would range from targeting a hospital, factory, school or one business in a building, to locking down a whole city.
Next week, details of how the government will be able to enforce local restrictions will be published. Local authorities were given powers to:
Ministers will have the power to: Ministers have the power to:
Which areas have had local lockdowns so far?
How are places with lots of cases identified?How are places with lots of cases identified?
The government's strategy is to target local clusters or outbreaks.The government's strategy is to target local clusters or outbreaks.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said action is being taken against more than 100 local outbreaks of coronavirus in England every week.
A cluster is a group of cases in one place like a hospital, factory or school. When clusters are linked, this is called an outbreak.A cluster is a group of cases in one place like a hospital, factory or school. When clusters are linked, this is called an outbreak.
The government uses data on numbers of cases in a particular place to help decide what action should be taken. More cases are now being identified through testing.The government uses data on numbers of cases in a particular place to help decide what action should be taken. More cases are now being identified through testing.
England has more than 250 testing centres, and a dozen walk-in centres are being set up.England has more than 250 testing centres, and a dozen walk-in centres are being set up.
If a cluster or outbreak occurs, extra testing equipment, including mobile units, is sent to the affected area. Door-to-door testing may also take place.If a cluster or outbreak occurs, extra testing equipment, including mobile units, is sent to the affected area. Door-to-door testing may also take place.
What has Leicester's local lockdown involved? Public Health England has also produced a coronavirus watchlist of areas, based on an assessment of incidence rates, and other indicators such as trends in testing, local responses and plans, healthcare activity and mortality.
While some restrictions have been eased in England since 4 July, in Leicester:
Residents also have to stay at home as much as they can, and non-essential travel to, from and within Leicester should also be avoided.
People or businesses that repeatedly flout the new law could receive fines of up to £3,200.
At the time the lockdown was imposed, Leicester's seven-day infection rate was "three times higher than the next highest city". It has since fallen.
Can police enforce a lockdown?Can police enforce a lockdown?
Police have powers to enforce a local lockdown. For example, if they believe that somebody is staying away overnight, they can tell them to return home.Police have powers to enforce a local lockdown. For example, if they believe that somebody is staying away overnight, they can tell them to return home.
Police can also fine people for breaking the rules, and they may also issue a "prohibition notice" directing somebody not to do something.Police can also fine people for breaking the rules, and they may also issue a "prohibition notice" directing somebody not to do something.
But if a Leicester family wants to go clothes shopping in Nottingham, for example, there is nothing legally to stop them. But if a Leicester resident wanted to go to a bar in Nottingham, for example, there is nothing legally to stop them.
Instead, the government hopes people's sense of civic responsibility will see them follow guidance to stay at home Instead, the government hopes people's sense of civic responsibility will see them follow guidance to stay at home.
What has been said about the rest of the UK?What has been said about the rest of the UK?
Public Health Wales said that a local lockdown was under consideration after the recent outbreak in Anglesey. However, First Minister Mark Drakeford said that any decision would be not be taken lightly. Public Health Wales said that a local lockdown had been under consideration after an outbreak in Anglesey in June, but this did not come to pass.
In Scotland, public health teams work for the NHS, rather than councils, and the Scottish Government says it is developing a "responsive system of community surveillance" at a national, regional and local level to identify outbreaks quickly.In Scotland, public health teams work for the NHS, rather than councils, and the Scottish Government says it is developing a "responsive system of community surveillance" at a national, regional and local level to identify outbreaks quickly.
In Northern Ireland, the government says that any potential clusters or outbreaks will be handled using "appropriate infection control" in line with its normal guidelines for handling the outbreak of any disease.In Northern Ireland, the government says that any potential clusters or outbreaks will be handled using "appropriate infection control" in line with its normal guidelines for handling the outbreak of any disease.